Gomphrena plant named ‘SAKGOM005’

ABSTRACT

A  Gomphrena  plant particularly distinguished by having lavender flowers with white tips and a spreading plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Gomphrena globosa.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKGOM005’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises of a new and distinct variety ofGomphrena, botanically known as Gomphrena globosa, and referred to bythe variety name ‘SAKGOM005’. ‘SAKGOM005’ originated from a controlledcross in July 1994 in Misato, Japan between the proprietary femaleGomphera breeding line ‘94A-417’ having a white flower color and uprightgrowth habit and the proprietary male line ‘94T-414A’ having a smokypink flower color and a creeping growth habit, producing seventeen F₁seeds. In April 1995, the seventeen F₁ seeds were sowed and seven plantswere cultivated. In July 1995, three plants were then chosen having apurple flower color and upright habit. Between July 1996 and February2009, seeds from the three chosen plants were cross-pollinated and seedswere obtained. In February 2009, 2000 seeds were sowed and 1000 plantswere cultivated based on whether plants had pink flowers, lavenderflowers, and lavender flowers with white tips, and whether plants had anupright plant growth habit or a spreading plant growth habit. In April2009, a single plant was selected from this group having lavenderflowers with white tips and spreading plant growth habit.

From May 2009 to December 2009, the selection was evaluated in an openfield in Misato, Japan. Vegetative cuttings of the variety were thenshipped to Salinas, Calif., where the plants were regenerated andreevaluated for stability of traits. The selection subsequently wasnamed ‘SAKGOM005’ and was found to have its unique characteristicsreproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagationvia vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Lavender flowers with white tips; and    -   2. A spreading plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Gomphrena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, andflowers. The photographs are of plants grown about two-months-old inSalinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the summer of 2013. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the mature flowers of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKGOM005’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected on two-month-old plants undergreenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2013. Colorreferences are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Amaranthaceae.        -   Botanical.—Gomphrena globosa.        -   Common.—Globe amaranth.        -   Designation.—‘SAKGOM005’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena line ‘94A-417’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena line ‘94T-414A’            (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—2 weeks.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0            to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The            vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.            The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a            1:9 solution of DIP ′N GROW (1 solution: 9 water), a root            inducing solution, immediately prior to sticking into the            cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays            having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based            growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from            overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient            roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and            grown in 20 cm plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in            Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing            medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10%            phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every            other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with            a dry, slow release fertilizer containing 14% nitrogen, 14%            phosphorus and 14% potassium. The typical average air            temperature was 24° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Upright, freely branching.        -   Form.—Prostrate.        -   Life cycle.—Annual.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—22.0 cm; 1.0 cm            from soil line to first node.        -   Spread.—40.0 cm.        -   Flowering requirements.—Spring to fall, will flower year            round at temperatures of 24 to 35° C.-   Stems:    -   -   Description.—Dull, circular in cross section.        -   Quantity.—Numerous.        -   Branching.—Abundant.        -   Stem length.—10.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—5.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 138A (Green).        -   Pubescence.—Abundant, long, hair-like, RHS N155A (White).        -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight at base of stem of RHS 59A            (Red-Purple).-   Branches:    -   -   Quantity.—3 main.        -   Description.—Dull, circular in cross-section.        -   Color.—RHS 59A (Red-Purple).        -   Pubescence.—Abundant, long, hair-like, RHS N155A (White).        -   Length.—8.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Internode length.—3.0 cm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Decurrant.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Long, abundant hair like            fibers, RHS N155A (White).        -   Length.—4.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 146A (Yellow-Green). Lower            surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green).        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type and appearance.—Small, globose-shaped bracts; small            flat flowers arranged in dense, terminal heads, globose,            papery textured clover live flower heads, flowers are            upright and outwardly facing; flowers are sessile with a            single two-parted perianth; inflorescence heads are            subtended by two small flower bracts.        -   Total number of flowers per plant.—Approximately 150.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—80 to 100.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Approximately            4 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Inflorescence height.—1.5 cm to 1.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth.—1.3 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence color.—RHS N78A (Purple), with RHS N155A            (White) at tip.        -   Flower height.—0.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Sepals.—None observed.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Length.—0.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Color.—RHS N78A (Purple).-   Bracts:    -   -   Quantity.—2.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length.—0.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color (both surfaces).—RHS N78A (Purple).-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—4.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Angle.—Mostly upright to 40° vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong, moderate.        -   Color.—RHS 138A (Green).        -   Surface texture and appearance.—Abundant pubescence, with            long, hair-like fibers RHS N155A (White).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamen number.—5 per flower.        -   Stamen color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Stamen length.—0.4 cm.        -   Filament length.—0.3 cm.        -   Filament color.—RHS 143A (Green).        -   Anther length.—0.5 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.        -   Ovary diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Ovary shape.—Oval.        -   Ovary surface color.—RHS 165C (Greyed-orange).        -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.        -   Pistil length.—0.5 cm.        -   Stigma shape.—Bi-parted.        -   Stigma length.—0.1 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 5D (Yellow).        -   Style length.—0.3 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 5D (Yellow).        -   Seed production.—Absent.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Disease and insect resistance: No unusual susceptibility or    resistance to diseases or insects has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKGOM005’ is a new and unique variety of Gomphrena owing to itslavender flowers with white tips and spreading plant growth habit.‘SAKGOM005’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color andhabit as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKGOM005’ ‘94A-417’ ‘94T-414A’ Flower color Lavenderwith White Smoky pink white tips Habit Spreading Upright Creeping

‘SAKGOM005’ is a new and unique variety of Gomphrena owing to itslavender flowers with white tips. When ‘SAKGOM005’ is compared to thecommercial Gomphrena variety ‘Balboa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,263) thedifference is described in the table below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKGOM005’‘Balboa’ Flower color Lavender with white tips Purple

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gomphrena plant as shown anddescribed herein.